UNCW stinks one up with tourney near

Published: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 11:24 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 11:24 p.m.

Myrtle Beach, S.C. | Trips to this strand of surf and sand have ended badly before. Most, however, involved second-degree sunburn, a mug shot, or a bad tattoo. At the least, a wallet several hundred dollars lighter than anticipated or a couple dozen golf balls lost forever in a pond.

Facts

On Tuesday night, the UNCW baseball team made the jaunt down U.S. 17 for business – and found no pleasure. They were done in by errors, inaccurate pitches and strikeouts in a 15-3 loss to Coastal Carolina at TicketReturn.com Field, home of the class A Pelicans.

Just three days after a thorough and impressive series-clinching win over William & Mary, the Seahawks were simply stinky as streaking Coastal (33-18) won its sixth in a row to split the home-and-home nonconference series.

“I don’t know what brings it about but it’s the third or fourth time it’s happened this year,” UNCW coach Mark Scalf said of his team’s flat effort following a big win. “We couldn’t throw an offspeed pitch in the strike zone and our body language wasn’t good.”

It was the fourth road loss in a row for UNCW, which dropped to 36-17 and had its late-season momentum arrested. The teams needed two hours to complete the first four innings and by then the Chanticleers had the game in hand.

If ever a game needed the mercy rule this one did.

Consider that nine of the first 16 Seahawks struck out.

Three UNCW pitchers combined to walk five Chanticleers, and hit a batter – in the first three innings. The defense behind them committed four errors in the same span.

Coastal sent 11 batters to the plate in the third when it scored seven runs.

Altogether, the Chanticleers scored 14 runs in the first four innings as Scalf could not locate a stopper in his typically reliable bullpen. Blaze Tart was the Seahawks’ fifth pitcher when he entered with two outs and runners on base in the fourth.

Through five innings, UNCW batters had four hits and 10 strikeouts.

After six innings, UNCW had thrown 157 pitches while Coastal had thrown 105.

The Seahawks finally scored in the seventh inning, taking advantage of a Chanticleers error to push home three unearned runs, but went 0-for-10 in RBI opportunities.

Nick Monroe (0-1), making his first career start, allowed five runs – two earned – in a shaky 55-pitch effort that lasted 2 1/3 innings. UNCW used eight pitchers.

UNCW attempts to regroup this weekend when it heads to Long Island for a three-game series with CAA cellar dweller Hofstra.

“You can’t act like (tonight) didn’t happen,” Scalf said. “It’s got to leave a bitter taste in you mouth where every guy wants to improve their performance.”

To clinch the regular season title, the Seahawks need either one win vs. the Pride or one loss from William & Mary against Georgia State in their three-game set.

<p>Myrtle Beach, S.C. | Trips to this strand of surf and sand have ended badly before. Most, however, involved second-degree sunburn, a mug shot, or a bad tattoo. At the least, a wallet several hundred dollars lighter than anticipated or a couple dozen golf balls lost forever in a pond.</p><p>On Tuesday night, the <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic71"><b>UNCW</b></a> baseball team made the jaunt down U.S. 17 for business – and found no pleasure. They were done in by errors, inaccurate pitches and strikeouts in a 15-3 loss to Coastal Carolina at TicketReturn.com Field, home of the class A Pelicans.</p><p>Just three days after a thorough and impressive series-clinching win over William & Mary, the Seahawks were simply stinky as streaking Coastal (33-18) won its sixth in a row to split the home-and-home nonconference series.</p><p>“I don't know what brings it about but it's the third or fourth time it's happened this year,” UNCW coach Mark Scalf said of his team's flat effort following a big win. “We couldn't throw an offspeed pitch in the strike zone and our body language wasn't good.”</p><p>It was the fourth road loss in a row for UNCW, which dropped to 36-17 and had its late-season momentum arrested. The teams needed two hours to complete the first four innings and by then the Chanticleers had the game in hand.</p><p>If ever a game needed the mercy rule this one did. </p><p>Consider that nine of the first 16 Seahawks struck out.</p><p>Three UNCW pitchers combined to walk five Chanticleers, and hit a batter – in the first three innings. The defense behind them committed four errors in the same span.</p><p>Coastal sent 11 batters to the plate in the third when it scored seven runs.</p><p>Altogether, the Chanticleers scored 14 runs in the first four innings as Scalf could not locate a stopper in his typically reliable bullpen. Blaze Tart was the Seahawks' fifth pitcher when he entered with two outs and runners on base in the fourth.</p><p>Through five innings, UNCW batters had four hits and 10 strikeouts.</p><p>After six innings, UNCW had thrown 157 pitches while Coastal had thrown 105.</p><p>The Seahawks finally scored in the seventh inning, taking advantage of a Chanticleers error to push home three unearned runs, but went 0-for-10 in RBI opportunities.</p><p>Nick Monroe (0-1), making his first career start, allowed five runs – two earned – in a shaky 55-pitch effort that lasted 2 1/3 innings. UNCW used eight pitchers.</p><p>UNCW attempts to regroup this weekend when it heads to Long Island for a three-game series with CAA cellar dweller Hofstra.</p><p>“You can't act like (tonight) didn't happen,” Scalf said. “It's got to leave a bitter taste in you mouth where every guy wants to improve their performance.” </p><p> To clinch the regular season title, the Seahawks need either one win vs. the Pride or one loss from William & Mary against Georgia State in their three-game set.</p><p>“We haven't won anything yet,” Scalf said. “We haven't reached our goals.”</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic94"><b>Brian Mull</b></a>: 343-2034</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @BGMull</p>